BILL NUMBER: AB 1167	CHAPTERED  04/06/00

	CHAPTER   11
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   APRIL 6, 2000
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   APRIL 5, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   MARCH 27, 2000
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   JANUARY 20, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   JANUARY 3, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Frusetta

                        FEBRUARY 25, 1999

   An act to amend Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1167, Frusetta.  County veteran service officers:
disbursements to counties.
   Existing law authorizes each county board of supervisors to
appoint a county veteran service officer, and permits the county to
provide the officer with any assistance and facilities that it
determines to be necessary.  Existing law requires the Department of
Veterans Affairs to disburse funds, appropriated to the department
for the purpose of supporting county veteran service officers
pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis to counties
that comply with certain conditions.  Commencing January 1, 2001,
existing law includes the condition that county funds are allocated
to county veteran service officers in an amount not less than that
allocated in the 1988-89 fiscal year.
   This bill would instead, commencing January 1, 2006, include the
condition that county funds are allocated to county veteran service
officers in an amount not less than that allocated in the 1988-89
fiscal year.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as
amended by Section 2 of Chapter 318 of the Statutes of 1997, is
amended to read:
   972.1.  (a) The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 1989-90 fiscal year, for
purposes of funding the activities of county veteran service officers
pursuant to this section.  Funds for allocation in future years
shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
   (b) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis
to counties that have established and maintain a county veteran
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veteran service officer under a formula based upon
performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs for these purposes.
   (c) The department shall annually determine the amount of new or
increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal
government attributable to the assistance of county veteran service
officers.  The department shall on or before January 1, prepare and
transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the
Department of Finance and the Legislature.  The Department of Finance
shall review the department's determination in time to use the
information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department
for the next fiscal year.
   (d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the
amount annually budgeted for county veteran service officers is
approximately five million dollars ($5,000,000).  The Legislature
further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use
of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veteran
service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars
($5,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the state'
s veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
   (2) It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the
department's determination in subdivision (c), to consider an
increase in the annual budget for county veteran service officers in
an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the
monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase
in the budget.
  (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2006,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that is enacted before January 1, 2006, deletes or extends that date.

  SEC. 2.  Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as
amended by Section 3 of Chapter 318 of the Statutes of 1997, is
amended to read:
   972.1.  (a) The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 1989-90 fiscal year, for
purposes of funding the activities of county veteran service officers
pursuant to this section.  Funds for allocation in future years
shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
   (b) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis
to counties that have established and maintain a county veteran
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veteran service officer under a formula based upon
performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in
any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not
less than the amount allocated in the 1988-89 fiscal year.
   (c) The department shall annually determine the amount of new or
increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal
government attributable to the assistance of county veteran service
officers.  The department shall on or before January 1, prepare and
transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the
Department of Finance and the Legislature.  The Department of Finance
shall review the department's determination in time to use the
information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department
for the next fiscal year.
   (d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the
amount annually budgeted for county veteran service officers is
approximately five million dollars ($5,000,000).  The Legislature
further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use
of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veteran
service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars
($5,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the state'
s veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
   (2) It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the
department's determination in subdivision (c), to consider an
increase in the annual budget for county veteran service officers in
an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the
monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase
in the budget.
   (e) This section shall become operative January 1, 2006.
